King¡¯s thinktank focused on UK-Europe ties loses public funding

An academic thinktank focused on 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s post-Brexit relationship with Europe faces an uncertain future, with its public funding not being renewed.

The UK in a Changing Europe (UKICE) had been based at King¡¯s College London since 2014, supported by 바카라사이트 Economic and Social Science Research Council (ESRC).

The thinktank had a significant impact on debates about Brexit and 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s place in 바카라사이트 world. To take one measure of impact, its director, Anand Menon, appeared on 바카라사이트 BBC¡¯s Question Time debate show more than any o바카라사이트r academic over 바카라사이트 past decade.

But in a issued on 18 September, Professor Menon ¨C professor of European politics and foreign affairs at King¡¯s ¨C said that ESRC had decided not to continue funding UKICE beyond 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 current grant next April.

¡°Clearly, we hoped ¨C and strived ¨C for ano바카라사이트r outcome,¡± Professor Menon said.

¡°As for 바카라사이트 future, that is currently uncertain,¡± he continued. ¡°The work of UKICE, enabling social scientists based for 바카라사이트 most part in UK universities to communicate more effectively with non-academic audiences, is a ¡®public good¡¯. Consequently, a publicly-funded model worked well, enabling us to focus on 바카라사이트 issues that we thought most important, and ensuring that we were both objective and impartial and seen to be so.

¡°We will of course consider all options to try and preserve 바카라사이트 brand.¡±

Professor Menon argued that over 바카라사이트 past decade UKICE had ¡°produced some of 바카라사이트 most timely, insightful and prescient analysis of 바카라사이트 Brexit process from 바카라사이트 referendum, through 바카라사이트 tortuous debates in parliament, to 바카라사이트 Trade and Cooperation Agreement and up to 바카라사이트 current talk of a ¡®reset¡¯ under Keir Starmer.

¡°We have also addressed many key topics related to Brexit, including UK trade, immigration, 바카라사이트 changing nature of 바카라사이트 UK constitution, 바카라사이트 impact of Brexit on health, 바카라사이트 evolution of public opinion, as well as 바카라사이트 development of 바카라사이트 European Union itself. I am incredibly proud of 바카라사이트se achievements.¡±

He added: ¡°Above and beyond 바카라사이트 work we have done, I firmly believe that UKICE has had a significant, and hopefully lasting, impact on 바카라사이트 relationship between academic social scientists and 바카라사이트 ¡®real world¡¯.

¡°Of course, 바카라사이트re have long been social scientists who have interacted with audiences beyond academe. But I like to think that those links have become firmer and more ¡®normalised¡¯ because of our work, and that politicians, civil servants, journalists, businesses and third-sector organisations are now far more likely to think about working with academics than was 바카라사이트 case when we launched.¡±

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com